In today’s world, visual advertising plays a significant role in attracting customers and providing memorable experiences. In the hospitality industry, advertising photography is of particular importance as one of the main tools for showcasing the beauty and facilities of hotels to potential customers, advertising and competing in digital marketing. Today, we are talking to one of the leading photographers in the field of hotel advertising photography, Mr. Sajjad Mokhtarzadeh Gan, to learn more about his experiences, techniques and perspectives.
How did you become interested in advertising photography for hotels and what path did you take to achieve this career? At the suggestion of my photographer friend Mohammad Hossein Dastjerdi, in order to gain new experience, I started my first hotel photography project in 2011 with the Parsian Azadi Hotel in Tehran. That year, I was very receptive to various advertising photography projects, because it had only been 2 years since I started my professional advertising photography career.
What are the differences between hotel advertising photography and other types of advertising photography? The genre of industrial and advertising photography is one of the most extensive branches of photography. Unfortunately, officially or conventionally, hotel photography has not yet become a sub-branch of industrial advertising photography, but based on my 13 years of experience in the hotel industry, I can say that hotel photography is a combination of photography; documentary, architecture, food, commercial, portrait, landscape, night, aerial sports, etc.
What are the most important factors to consider in hotel advertising photography? Professional ethics and appropriate treatment of all hotel personnel, exposure times in photography, standing at the right spot, excessive attention to detail, realistic recording without exaggeration, spaces, services and service, use of appropriate photography techniques, considering the correct need for services and service are the most important factors in hotel advertising photography.
How can you convey the atmosphere and feel of a hotel in advertising photos? Personally, I believe in capturing the natural events and the good and bad feelings of the guests present at the hotel or the actors who collaborate in advertising projects, and I strive to convey the existing feeling to the audience by choosing the right technique, angle and time for photography.
What special techniques and equipment do you use in hotel photography? In fact, apart from the photographer’s taste, it must also be considered technically in order to choose the right technique to properly record spaces or special moments. I can say that all photography techniques can be implemented in various parts of the hotel. From panoramas and HDR to backlighting, long exposure or even macro photography techniques.
How do you collaborate with the hotel team and interior designers to improve the images? Professional and standard designs of hotel interiors and exteriors are definitely the result of a lot of research, so before starting a hotel photography project, the photographer should hold several meetings with the design team regarding the hotel design concept. The results of these meetings will definitely be fruitful in capturing accurate and standard photos.
What details do you think have the most impact on the appeal of hotel advertising images? This question should be answered from a guest’s perspective! Recording the cleanliness of the rooms, service, orderliness and hospitality of the staff, a sense of peace and happiness, and such emotional transmission should be combined with the photographer’s creativity.
What do your customers usually expect from hotel advertising photos? And how do you meet these expectations? 8- They often expect that maximum service and service be seen in every frame recorded by photography. For example, all parts of a room (bed, view outside the room, items inside the room, modernity or lightness of the room, minibar, closets, etc.) or the variety of recreational spaces, services, etc. But definitely, only with the cooperation of the hotel staff and giving the necessary authority to the photographer or photography team can we complete an excellent and flawless project.
How do you manage the pre-production and post-production process in hotel photography projects? Pre-production is one of the most important parts of a project. In this part, the photography team or photographer must visit all parts of the hotel, and based on experience and consultation with the hotel management and public relations, they must develop a list and a detailed schedule for the project in different parts. The result of these visits is that the management makes the necessary coordination with all the different parts of the hotel and they are informed about the presence of the photography team in the hotel. Also, if there are any defects in the hotel parts, the defects must be fixed by the time the production day of the photography project begins.
Can you describe a successful advertising photography project for a hotel and tell us what factors made it successful? Absolutely, absolutely, and again absolutely, cooperation, consensus, and the necessary delegation of authority from the hotel management, public relations, or hotel advertising consultants to the photography team can be very important in the process of professionally executing a photography project.
What tips do you consider when choosing the time and lighting for photographing the interior and exterior of hotels? When it comes to photographing architectural spaces (rooms, halls, restaurants, public and exterior spaces of the hotel) that are affected by sunlight, taking notes and scheduling the right photography is very, very important. However, when it comes to photographing spaces and products that are affected by artificial light sources (such as photographing restaurant or coffee shop menu items), the photographer will have a little more time to maneuver, of course, he will definitely have his own plans.
How do you deal with technical and unexpected challenges in hotel photography projects? There have always been and will always be these challenges, even in the most professional and best hotels, but with proper management and changing shooting schedules, we should be able to create opportunities and overcome these challenges.
What approaches do you have for photographing hotel food and beverages to make them look more attractive? Hotel food and beverage photography can be planned according to the potential (interior design, beautiful and professional furniture, standard services, etc.) of the coffee shop or restaurant. One of the irreplaceable points in photography is definitely light. That is, should we photograph with the existing lights in the environment (indoor or outdoor) or with professional lighting equipment! Part of this decision, unfortunately, has a direct relationship with the client’s budget. Certainly, if there is no great limitation in the project budget, by adding professional lighting equipment in photography, we can capture more attractive and creative frames.
What is the role of new technologies such as virtual reality and 360-degree tours in hotel advertising photography? Obviously, when a guest has a true and accurate understanding of the hotel’s accommodation, service, and recreational spaces, they will more easily choose your hotel for their stay…
How do you plan for promotional photography with seasonal changes and special events in hotels? By considering the seasonal calendar of important private and public events in a season, we can achieve the best performance in terms of project execution.